Black Maria Film Festival comes to Fort Myers
Mar 2, 2007
Edison College has collaborated with the Edison & Ford Estates to bring the Thomas Edison Black Maria Film Festival to Fort Myers for the first time since the festival began touring nationally in 1981. In addition, this will be the only showing in the state of Florida for this prestigious independent film event. Tickets are on sale now; the event is sponsored locally by Chico's Charities.
The award-winning festival will be held on Friday, March 23 at the Edison & Ford Estates and Saturday, March 24 at Edison College's Fort Myers campus in the Corbin Auditorium--Building J. Doors open both nights at 6:00 p.m., and the festival has the added attraction of being shown outdoors in the gardens of the estates.
Festival Director and Founder John Columbus will introduce the films and facilitate discussion afterwards.
The March 23 event will be held along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River at the Royal Palm Alee at the historic Ford Estate. Viewers can enjoy popcorn and beverages under the night skies at “The Mangoes,†the winter home of Henry and Clara Ford.
The March 24 event at Edison College will feature a one-day exhibit called “Edison and Film.†The exhibit is on loan from the Edison and Ford Winter Estates and features artifacts and images including movie cameras, a kinetoscope and an early projector. The exhibit will be set up just outside Corbin Auditorium in Building J. After the viewing, the college will host an outdoor reception catered by The Blue Pepper in the Mary Jo Sanders Garden of Inspiration.
In 1892, the world’s first motion picture studio was built by Thomas Edison and nicknamed the Black Maria. The studio has become an emblem of the exploratory spirit in film which the festival celebrates. The local presentation of the Black Maria Film Festival is a joint project of the Edison & Ford Winter Estates and Edison College to celebrate Thomas Edison’s contributions to the film industry.
The Black Maria Film Festival honors Edison’s pioneering work in cinema. The festival showcases independent and experimental film and video and is shown at colleges and museums throughout the country each year. The touring festival includes a variety of works drawn from the annual collection of 50 award winning films and videos. The Black Maria Film & Video Festival is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an Academy Awards qualifying festival for short films.
Tickets may be purchased in advance at the estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd. The cost is $5 per evening. Estates members and Edison College students are FREE. Edison College students with a valid student ID may pick up tickets in Taeni Hall, Building S, Room 263. Seating is limited. For more information call 239-334-7419.
Here are links to helpful websites:
Printable guide to the festival films for legal-sized paper
Map of Edison College
Edison & Ford Winter Estates
Black Maria Film Festival
Last Updated: March 2, 2007
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